Tag Archives: College Hill

Click image of hospital at Camp Letterman 1.25 miles east of Gettysburg to learn more about where wounded Parham was taken.

Dear Sir

I take it on myself at Parhams request to write to you and let you know how Parham is getting along with his wounded leg as I expect you will hear he is wounded before this He does not suffer much with his wound although it is a very severe one. The ball entered just above the right knee and passed directly through.

I expect it will be amputated.

Tell Mrs Luckie not to be uneasy about him as Newt Shaw and and myself are both with him he is in as good spirits as any body.

I would give a list of the killed and wounded but there are a great many missing who we don’t know whether they are killed or Prisoners. It was the most Horrible fight of the war. Our regiment in with 425 and came out with 65 we suffered I believe more than any other in the division. Our troops are still in very good spirits although we driven back.

I will close by again telling you not to be uneasy about Parham for Newt Shaw has got permission to stay with him

Yours truly

Jack Fernandez

Parham will write in a day or two J.F.

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Blogger’s Notes:

With respect to Parham’s wound, the ball entered just above the right knee and passed directly through. This may suggest Parham reached within Federal musket range during Pickett’s Charge somewhere between the vicinity of Emmitsburg Road and the stone wall near Brian’s Barn. See previous post on Pickett’s Charge.

Pacolet (Jack) Fernandez, writer of this letter per Parham’s request, enlisted May 23, 1863, at Oxford, Miss., for one year. Born in South Carolina, and a student at College Hill, Miss.; seventeen years of age and single. He was present and took part in the battles of Freeman’s Ford, Thoroughfare Gap, and Second Manassas, two days at Gettysburg; Falling Waters, Bristol Station. In the engagements of August 22, 28, 29, and 30, 1862, he acted as an independent soldier. After the battle at Bristol Station he was on detailed duty, I think as a courier. Parham previously wrote of Jack’s family on January 17, 1863, stating that he learned Union forces occupied College Hill and burned the Fernandez house.

William N. (Newt) Shaw, who was granted permission to stay behind with Parham at the hospital, enlisted August 9, 1861, at Bristol Station, Va., for one year. Born in Mississippi; a farmer near College Hill, Miss.; twenty-three years old and single. He was present at Seven Pines, two days; Gaines’s Farm, and was absent wounded until he was present second day at Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, two days; Falling Waters, Bristol Station, Wilderness, two days; Tolles Mill, Spotsylvania, Hanover Junction, Bethsaida Church, two days; then Weldon Railroad where he was killed on first day. Promoted to Corporal, November, 1864…Of the four (Shaw) brothers only one survived the war, and he was shot through the left lung. How dear was the cause that required such costly sacrifices! Is there any wonder that the memory of it should still be dear to every Southron? Whilst time lasts may this memory be cherished.

The name “Fernandez” is noteworthy as it reveals the service of persons with Hispanic heritage in the town of College Hill, the state of Mississippi, and the Confederacy. Many Hispanic Confederates came from well established and prominent families; some traced their ancestry to explorers who settled in North America generations ahead of the English according to National Park Service article Hispanics and the Civil War.

College Hill Presbyterian Church Cemetery list of buried reveals the Fernandez family was one of the early settlers in the community. A total of 18 persons bearing the name are buried there, including the writer of this letter.

Pacolet was not the only Fernandez from the community who volunteered with the Lamar Rifles; Henry Gore also bore the name. Both Pacolet and Henry Gore Fernandez are listed by John O’Donnell-Rosales in a 90 page directory of Hispanic Confederates.

Click image of Parham’s church in College Hill, Mississippi to learn about his home community behind Yankee lines.

Not knowing whether you are in the Yankees lines or not, I will write for I know you are all anxious to hear from me. I am in good health, as also the company with the (page torn, word appears to be consumption) of one or two that never are well enough to do duty-

We have been running about quite briskly for the last week- up and down our line, for you must recollect our two Brigades has a line at least 60 miles long to guard- We crossed the River yesterday and had a skirmish with the enemy about 4 miles beyond, but without the loss of a man- They threw a few shells at us, but they passed harmlessly over our heads- We lay in line of battle untill night, when we recrossed the River, with our whole force- This makes the second time lately that our Gens have offered them battle on that side of the River, and I hope now that they will wait for them to try to cross-

We have splendid fortifications at every ford and will give them a warm reception whenever they attempt tocrossI (words unknown, page torn) to think the Yankees have come as far into Va as they will ever get- but alas, the bad news reached us yesterday that Pemberton had been whipped, with the loss of 38 Pieces of Artillery and had fell back to Vicksburg. I am inclined to disbelieve it if it is so it will be an awful slam on us-, but I am still in hopes Jonston will strengthen that army out down there and make them do something yet- Vicksburg is one the principal objects of the Yankees, and if they get it,

God only knows when this war will end. May an honorable and speedy peace soon…

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Blogger’s Notes:

Click image of CSA Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton to learn about his defeat.

Parham’s sister in College Hill, Mississippi was behind Yankee lines, and Parham previously wrote on January 17, 1863 of learning about the burning of a home within the community by occupying forces. Assuming family food provisions had been taken by the enemy, he also mentioned sending money home in the same letter and again on March 18, 1863.

Parham wrote of two individuals in this letter.

John C. Pemberton (CSA Lt. Gen.) is stated to have been whipped, showing how quickly, just seven days, news of the disastrous blow to the Confederacy at the Battle of Champion’s Hill traveled from the Mississippi River to the 11th Mississippi located in Southeast Virginia.

Joseph E. Johnston(CSA Gen.) had been mentioned before by Parham (November 23, 1861 and January 21, 1862) as he was the original commander of the Army of Northern Virginia and replaced by Robert E. Lee when wounded at Seven Pines. Upon recovering from his wounds, Johnston commanded the Western theater where Parham wrote he hoped to see him strengthen that army out down there and make them do something yet.

The remaining sheet(s) of this letter appear to have been lost to time; hence, the reason for the abrupt end.

Who is Sir that Parham writes to in his fourth and fifth letters? In the fifth letter, Parham identifies Sir as Mr. S Luckie. The requests made by Parham in these before mentioned letters are of the nature of one writing to another within the same household, like a son to a father. The November 6th posting entitled Family Connections, however, shows that Parham’s biological father (my great-great-great grandfather) passed away within two years of the birth of his son and 20 days after the birth of his daughter (my great-great grandmother). Parham’s mother, Ann A. Buford (my great-great-great grandmother), married Samuel Luckie, III some time after the passing of her first husband and the passing of Samuel’s first wife. The 1860 United States Federal Census shows these two households were joined together, making Sir or Samuel Luckie, III Parham’s step-father.

Many Bufords and a number of Luckies are buried in the College Hill Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Parham’s mother, father, and step-father as well as the step-father’s first wife are buried here. College Hill was founded in 1836 by Goodloe Warren Buford (father of Thomas and Goodloe Buford of 11th Mississippi, Company G) who donated land for the Presbyterian church, cemetery, and school. Union troops under General Grant and General Sherman encamped on the property. American writer and 1949 Nobel Prize laureate, William Faulkner, was married at this church. The facility today is used by a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Photo source: http://hottytoddy.com/2013/06/26/faulkner-grant-walked-the-aisles-of-oxfords-college-hill-church/